Swamped, but I’m still listening: Why the best PR starts with a conversation

Some days, the inbox feels like it’s just too overwhelming. Lengthy briefs from clients. Applications from candidates. Approaches from marketers. Pitches. Follow-ups. One more deck to review. A thousand news pieces to scan. 

I can only imagine with dread how it would be to be a journalist on the receiving end of the endless story pitches. Like going to Niagara Falls for a cup of water. How do they find your gems amongst the thousands? Since the advent of AI-generated content it must be unimaginably worse than the traditional horrible level of media inbox volumes.

Personality pays

What we all need to get back to more of is the personal. Being mindful of how, if this is how it is for us, this is how it must feel for others. We must remind ourselves time and time again of the real value of personality-driven content, and that the standout work generally doesn’t start in an email, it starts with a conversation.

In the last few weeks, amid the increasingly long briefs and ChatGPT-generated approaches, the real gems in our business have come from talking. The best PR ideas are sparked by discussions with clients who are passionate about what they do and why they exist. CEOs getting excited about fixing broken systems, founders opening up about what made them start out, even marketing prospects describing customer problems with real clarity. It makes the job so much easier, and is where the real PR gold is. That’s where your story is.

It’s the same reason we always say the best interviews happen face to face, online or in person. Now the applications and cover letters are getting longer, it’s really in those moments where you know a person; if they fit, if they get it, if you share the same passions.

Being brief helps

So yes, whilst the flood of content is relentless (and yes, we’re here for that too), keep those meetings in the diary, hop on calls, send your thoughts in bullet points if anything. Think about avoiding AI if you have an idea and articulate it yourself. Scratchy is better than wordy, and in many instances, brief is better than long. 

Of course, it’s not just about being short. It’s about being sharp. If you really want your message to land with a journalist, employer, or client, it needs to be written for them. That takes a bit more time, and a lot more listening.

I’m not calling for an AI amnesty here, but I am asking for more real conversations, and more listening. Because only you know what makes your brand, your company, your personal story stand out. Only you know what makes you get out of bed in the morning. And sometimes, the best way to get to the point… is just to be brief.